Barbara founded Chief Executive Women in 1985. Barbara also founded her own Business to Business publishing company in 1978 which published 15 industry and business based magazines, books, industry seminars and conferences. In 1984 she created a magazine specifically for business and professional women “Portfolio”. Fairfax approached Barbara to sell them the magazine after 18 months of publication. In 1985 from some of the women featured within “Portfolio” magazine Barbara organised a dinner for 18 women and proposed that they become a group who advocated for more women in leadership. Initially they affiliated with Women Chief’s of Enterprise based in Paris. After 4 years the group resigned from Women Chiefs of Enterprise and renamed the group Chief Executive Women. Today the members of CEW are close to 300 leading women and providing 24 scholarships for emerging business women leaders each year. The winners of the scholarships are the women leaders of the future Barbara has been a constant advocate for women in business and has represented this focus by having been: Chairman Small Business Development Corporation for the NSW State Government Director State Development Council NSW State Government.